The Knoxville Police Department has released body camera footage from an officer-involved shooting incident that occurred on November 12. The video records the moment when officers confronted 52-year-old Christopher Arons, who was armed with an axe, on the 2600 block of Fairview Street, as reported by WBIR. In the contentious exchange, Arons was shot and subsequently taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center with injuries from which he is expected to recover
In a report filed by WVLT, Arons is facing charges for two counts of aggravated assault and two counts of vandalism. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is leading an investigation into the shooting, which is routine for any officer-involved shooting incident. Officers Smith and Burns have been placed on administrative leave while an internal investigation is conducted by the department's Office of Professional Standards.
The bodycam footage revealed that Smith instructed Arons to drop the weapon several times before discharging his weapon. "I can't," Arons is heard saying on the video, moments before he was shot. The incident, as captured on video, showed officers providing medical aid to Arons after he had stopped being a threat. Officer Burns can be seen retrieving a first-aid kit from the police car to attend to Arons's injury, detailed by WATE.
